SOCIETY OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS. 1 85 



with good drainage, rolling, witli north slope if possihle. If nature 

 has not fitted a piece for you anywhere on the farm, then do the next 

 'best thing, take the piece that l)y artiticial means you can make 

 suitable, but if you can find no such land on the farm, why, then, 

 sell out. 



In regard to varieties choose for yourself. Kvery farmer now-a- 

 days is well enough posted on fruit (or at least should be) to make 

 out his own list. But, be sure you don't make your orchard a com- 

 mercial one, by setting out only a few varieties and then selling off 

 all the best of your fruit. ( 1 am speaking of the a])])le orchard. ) 

 The farmers" orchards should be for their own use: put the very best 

 of everything in your oivn cellar. After you are sure you have saved 

 more tlian you can possibly use it may do to sell a little. Don't 

 cheat yourself by ])utting out only eight or ten kinds- make it 

 twenty-five or thirty. If you have a clay soil put out a few pear 

 trees. Set one or two peach trees every year — they may surprise 

 you some time — they cost but little You have plenty of room and 

 should ])rovide yourself with all these luxuries. 



When you come to small fruits put them neai- the house, or 

 garden, any %vay. It (h)es not make so much difference what the 

 ground is for them: they will thrive on almost any soil. And right 

 here the most of farmers fail — they neglect the berries - they seen) 

 to be l)eneath their notice, too small. Let me tell you there is noth- 

 ing in the fruit line that will give you returns so quick, or so great, 

 for the same outlay. But 1 think it will be better for you to say to 

 your wife " 1 will leave this department for you." and I will guarantee 

 it will not be long before you will have plenty of berries on your 

 table, of all kinds, in their season. Lay out your grounds so that 

 <ultivation will be by horse-])OAver. Let the berry rows l)ecome 

 hedges rows, but give plenty of room the other way. 



When you get to the ornamental grounds, setting out front 

 yards, lawns, etc., I don't think you want anyone to write a long ar- 

 ticle setting forth how you must set out and lay out ijoiir grounds: 

 but go to work yourself, and with the helj) of your wife and chil- 

 dren, in the end you will be much better suited than you would had 

 you followed the directions of the best landscape gardener. One 

 thing r wish to s])eak of : In setting grou]is of evergreens put each 

 variety in a group \)\ its(df : do not mix up two or three or four kinds: 

 yon will never be satisfied with them if you do. 



Remember the ** shelter belt"' for your stock, to l)e set near the 

 barn and yards. Make this of evergreens every time. If you have 

 a ])rairie farm and no timber lot, set apart five or ten acres, and set 

 it out next s])ring (or a ])ortioii of it) witli some fast growing tree, 

 or several kinds, su(di as are doiu^' the best in your locality, ^^)u 

 have no excuse for being hmg without timber. 



But where are you going to Ijuy all these things? Some of 

 these old nurservmen that are on the retired list will tell vou to avoid 



